Former shop of 1916 leader Tom Clarke illegally occupied by group intending to open communal kitchen, High Court hears

A vacant Georgian building that was once the home and shop of 1916 Rising leader Tom Clarke has been illegally occupied by people who may intend to open it as a communal kitchen, the High Court has heard.
Dublin City Council purchased the run-down property at 55 Amiens Street in 2018 for €630,000 with plans to transform it into a museum and community centre.
The local authority told the court on Wednesday that works have not commenced as a chosen contractor pulled out some 20 months ago but it is “anxious” to revive its restoration plan.
The council has issued High Court proceedings aimed at restraining “persons unknown” from trespassing at the protected 1790s property.
It applied on Wednesday for an early scheduling of a motion it intends to bring seeking to restrain the alleged occupants from altering the three-story building, accessing its roof or using it as a base for a food service.
Mr Justice Mark Sanfey said the council seems to be “somewhat leisurely” in its approach to the situation, which it learned of some months ago.
“It just does not seem that it is regarded as a matter of extremely pressing urgency,” he said.
The council’s barrister, David Colgan, said there is “some urgency”. He said it is not known if there has been any attempt to connect the property to an electricity supply, there is a concern about the potential use of open flames and reports of people being on the roof.
The judge directed the council to serve the alleged occupants with notice of the case and the motion, which he scheduled for December 4th.
The council’s housing manager for the area, Paul White, said he received reports of unauthorised occupation of the premises last May.
In an affidavit, he said he went to the property in July and a man who identified himself as “Alex” gave his phone number but did not allow council workers to enter. Mr White said he returned days later, when a man appeared at an upstairs window to say it was an “inappropriate time to call to his house”.
Neighbours said the property had been occupied for about a month by then and that some of the occupants had expressed an intention to open a communal kitchen there, he said.
Mr White noted a pipe was installed down the back wall of the building but he believes there is no electricity connection. He said he left his contact details and heard later from someone who identified themselves as being “from the house on Amiens Street” and who was “up for a conversation”.
A back and forth ensued but the texter did not agree to a date and he has been unable to gain access, he said.
The council office has received a “large number” of complaints from local residents arising from the “illegal occupation”, including regarding alleged large gatherings in the garden. He said there have also been reports of people sitting on the roof and using candles inside, giving rise to fire safety concerns.
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In a sworn written statement, the council’s acting executive manager, Frank Lambe, said 55 Amiens Street was of “national importance” and that it was operated as a tobacconist shop by Clarke, who was the first signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.
He said the council planned to restore the building, which had fallen into disrepair over many years. In 2021, the Department of Heritage awarded a €50,000 grant for the restoration of the Irish-language shopfront.
However, “most regrettably”, he said, the contractor selected to restore the building’s windows and facade withdrew in March 2023 and the property was left vacant. The council is “anxious to revive the plan to restore the premises”, which is in disrepair to the extent it may be dangerous and is “certainly not suitable for habitation”, he said.